Eat whatever you want over the holidays and still lose over the holidays:

I realize that most people will cheat over the holidays so I try not to be unrealistic and ask women to abstain from all of that good holiday food. There is a way to that you can eat whatever you want and not gain a pound… you may even lose a pound! Basically you will need to eat a really clean certain days surrounding the holidays. It’s predicated on something I do with figure competitors to get them to lose weight in between back-to-back shows. If you follow it you will probably lose weight even if you go nuts eating on the holidays.

Take a look at the charts below, It tells you how to eat on particular days surrounding the holidays.  If you need a little more explanation then check out my website http://www.terrystokes.net/holiday.html The password is: 1234

The weight you gain after eating on Christmas and New Years will be mostly water… you will lose that in a day or two if you follow these guidelines

http://www.terrystokes.net/holiday.html (password: 1234)

Some figure coaches need to 'figure' out the basics

I’m mad… I mean really mad! Yesterday I met a figure competitor who told me her trainer (i use the word ‘trainer’ very loosely) told her not to drink water for 3 days before her show… thank goodness she didn’t do it! Does this fitness professional (again, i use the term ‘professional’  very loosely) realize that a person can die after 3-4 days of no water? YES… I said die! What a complete moron! Dying for a 10″ trophy? Hmmmm…. let me think on that!! This is the sort of nonsense that originally motivated me to write my figure competition diet book – because I was appauled at what some trainers were doing.

… apparently some trainers are still in the stone-ages when it comes to diet.

Bodybuilding’s #1 cause of death: By far the main reason bodybuilder die – right before, during, or immediately after a show is due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Many people think steroids cause these deaths, the truth is… there has never been a single documented case of a bodybuilder dying of steroid use. The reason I bring this up is because whenever a bodybuilder collapses and dies, people always say it was related to steroids. Nope! …these athletes die from electrolyte imbalances secondary to dehydration!!!

 intense training + dehydration = recipe for disaster

Trainers with NO experience are giving diets to competitors. Trainers have to understand that they are training someone’s daughter, wife or mother, they look to you for guidance… they have complete faith in you. They trust you to give them good advice. Thy place their health in your hands… This sport is hard enough on the body… especially for women! The diet has to be tough… but it CAN be healthy. My competitors eat at least 5 x day… 7 or 8 meals a day is even better. They drink as much water as they want.

Everything I tell my figure competitors comes from years of experience which includes many failures and successes along the way - I’ve trained competitors all over the world – from Brazil to U.S. Soldiers in the Middle East. I’ve trained women featured in Oxygen Magazine, Bodybuilding.com and women that compete at the highest levels of the sport, which is why I would never just blindly pull something out of my a** and offer it up as advice.

To this particular ‘trainer’, I would like to ask:

• how dare you tell a competitor not to drink water for 3 days
• how dare you take their money and give them such bogus and dangerous advice
• how dare you advertise yourself as a figure coach or personal trainer
• how dare you give advice without understanding even the basics of human physiology
• how dare you jeopardize a young woman’s health

I studied and documented everything when I first started… I took meticulous notes, checked body fat everyday on competitors, documented muscle retention throughout the dieting process etc…. I stayed up many nights, literally all night, writing diets and trying to figure this whole thing out, safely - on top of more than 20 years being involved with bodybuilding!

Stop thinking it’s so easy to go from teaching group powerboxing classes to being a figure competition coach! Be a professional and do your research! Then go out and see what works, study your results – do this over and over …and over again. Then you can start developing a program. Don’t just hope that a women with great genetics walks through the door of your gym so that you can take her to a competition and call yourself a figure coach…. uhhh, don’t work like that. That’s what we call in the industry a ‘Perp’ (perpetrator, fraud, fake).

Please, do your homework and gain some knowledge… before you hurt someone!!!!! (or better yet, save yourself 5 years and learn from my experience here – but I’m sure you won’t do that!)

There is none so blind …as he who will not see!

Ok, I’m done with my ranting… I can go back to being a nice guy!

Anyway, we (Stokes Crew) recently came back from the IDFA Word Championship In Toronto and I was really impressed with the figure posing. In this show If you didn’t pose correctly you really stood out like a sore thumb. So I decided this would be a good time to write an article about posing. In this post I’m going to analyze my favorite pose… the side pose (prejudging),  If done correctly, it can really set you apart from the competition (Brittany, on the right {a Stokes Crew competitor… woot woot!}, was awarded her pro card at this show).

The key to the side pose is to stay relaxed and focus on the look you want to present to the judges.

1. Legs locked
2. Back arched
3. Stomach pulled in
4. Slight lean forward
5. Shoulders relaxed and even
6. Arms relaxed and not too far away from your body

Repeat the 6 points above to yourself repeatedly as you practice this pose to remind yourself of what you should be focusing on.

Take pride in your posing… the audience pays to see you and all the other competitors perform. Put many hours into posing practice and you will never have to wonder whether or not your posing (…or lack of) hurt your placings.

Back to the competition… we took an awesome team up to Canada: Saxonny, Denise, Erika, Karen, Brittany – Everyone looked great… and it’s a good thing because the competition was the toughest we had seen all season.

• (of course I gotta throw a dose of reality in)  Looking at the smiling faces in the picture to the left, I think back on what it took to get to this point for each competitor… whether it was getting over self-doubt, tears, fighting injuries, motivational ups and downs, eating ‘mishaps’… or any number of things that can make it so difficult to diet and train hard enough to step onstage – the end result is that everyone made it, looked great and had an awesome time.

So many times I have to explain to new competitors that the smiles you see onstage come after much hard work and sacrifice. The shiny suits, bling, nice shoes, perfect hair and makeup… oftentimes mask the journey for women thinking about competiting… The early morning workouts and the late night running. The eating of 5, 6 or 7 meals a day… of stuff you’re sick of eating – the tug-of-war between training and family. Yes, those smiles are well deserved because they came the hard way… the were earned!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Check out RxMuscle.com to see her pics

I get a lot of questions about the difference in contest prep for a bikini competitor and figure competitor. When it comes to losing body fat for a show – drum roll please….. the preparation is exactly the same! The only difference is that bikini competitors don’t have to get as lean figure competitors.

OMG! How can a bikini competitor train the same as a figure competitor when getting ready for a competition? Well… what are they both trying to do to get ready for that competition? Answer: lose body fat and keep muscle. If that’s what both bikini and figure competitors need to do then why should they train differently? The differences will come in the off-season training when the bikini competitor won’t be as focused on building size (… actually the bikini champions have been more muscular the past few years)

One thing I noticed 25 years ago when I first started studying this sport was that so may people made it out to be more complicated that it really was – and today it’s even worse…. especially with the Scientifically Tested Super Duper Advanced Metabolic Enhancing Muscle Exploding Fat Incinerating supplements that flood the market. Give me a freakin’ break! This is a very simple sport… but very difficult to do. The mental toughness needed to compete in this sport rivals any other type of competitive sport.

• 50% of your success is based on your training and eating the proper foods (not supplements). The other 50% is
  

  After show celebration!

  genetics, there ain’t a lot of room for much else. The most important thing I tell my competitors is to keep it as simple as possible, although each person is unique in many ways – it doesn’t mean that everyone must train differently or eat differently. Our bodies are more similar than they are different… it’s our brains that are all messed up!! ha ha

• My bikini competitors follow the same diets that the figure competitors do. There may be a little more flexibility…. but very little!!!! And the the workouts are just as intense!

So, for those who wonder what the difference is when it comes to bikini and figure competitors getting ready for a show…. the answer is…. very little.

Right after taking this picture the other night after a competition, another competitor asked me… “What do your competitors eat?” Below is a breakdown of what they eat…

Figure Diet: the competition diet is pretty basic. Lean protein, fibrous carbs (vegetables), complex carbs and good fats. The diet should be structured to change as the body gets leaner.

1. Meat: Chicken is the food of choice 80% of the time with fish and tuna being eaten 20% of the time. Some competitors switch to fish in the weeks prior to a show to help with fat loss.
2. Protein powder: Every competitor uses protein powder each day between, 2-4 scoops. Closer to competition, competitors will replace some of their chicken or fish meals with protein powder to keep fat loss going. You should choose a powder that taste good to you, otherwise you get tired of it real quick.
3. Supplements: A multivitamin once a day and protein powder, that’s about it for 95% of my competitors. Creatine should only be taken in the off-season. If i find that someone is taking creatine during precontest training, I will have them stop immediately because it makes you hold water.
4. Cheat foods: Peanut butter seems to be the big winner when it comes to cheating. Almost every competitor admits to cheating on the diet. 70% will choose peanut butter. Ice cream is enjoyed by 30% of competitors and potato chips are eaten by 40%. They say the best thing to do is make sure there is none of the ‘offending’ food in the house… otherwise it will be eaten.
5. Compliance with the diet: 99% of competitors cheat on the diet. I know a few who I ‘think’ won’t cheat… but I can’t be 100% sure. They often try to lie about it, but i get the truth eventually. Actually cheats are harmless and can be beneficial if kept to a minimum. The brain (psychology) and body (extra energy) benefits from the extra boost a cheat can give them.
6. Artificial sweeteners: 60% say they use some sort of artificial sugar or flavoring in their coffee (also about 80% drink coffee). These have to be eliminated the last week of a show because they can hold on to water in your body. You can lose 3 or 4 lbs just by eliminating artificial sweeteners from your diet (depending on how much you use).

I think other trainers and competitors expect me to have some secret food or supplements that I use. I don’t. The only ‘secret’ is how the diet is structured… but the foods are just basic foods.

The charts below are based on my competition diets (http://www.figurecompetitiondiets.com/)

(To view or download the complete map: http://www.figureready.com/figure-ready-blog.html)

To view or download the complete map: http://www.figureready.com/figure-ready-blog.html

Jody and Laurie

“Since I started the program, which I have been following religiously, I have dropped over 15 lbs. My weight is at a 4 year low (since after the last time I competed) but my confidence is at a record high. I’m seeing aspects of my body I haven’t seen in YEARS (oh, 6-pack, how I’ve missed you!) The workouts are HARD, but I enjoy them, and the diet is easy! It’s simple to follow and it’s real, easy to obtain food- nothing weird on the list! I’m still 3 weeks out from competition, but felt confident enough I registered last weekend! My husband comes home today after being away for 6 weeks- I can’t wait for him to see the new me! Everyone at work is noticing and complimenting me, and so far even my parents aren’t complaining this time (they called me emaciated last time). I am SO glad I decided to order this program! I know I’ll use it for contest prep for years to come!”

Check out her BodySpace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/OSIP/

This is my brand new website. It was designed to take you step by step through training and learning to pose for figure competition. You still need a password to get in, at least for a few more days, so check it out before the memberships run out:

FigureReady.com

Password: figure1

The following email I received epitomizes the reason I became a figure coach. This is what it’s all about… if you’ve ever doubted yourself read below and get re-energized!!!!

Dear Terry,

I owe you my thanks. You don’t know me, but it was nine months ago in February that I decided to do some research on how to go about doing a Figure Competition, nine months ago when I found your website and purchased your e-book on line. Nine months ago when your website convinced me that I COULD do it!

I’m a mother of three, a wife, a full time worker with an awesome 70 mile commute (one way). The odds were against me. How would I ever find time to train? How would I be able to cook meals for myself and then turn around and take care of my family? How could I cram the workouts I needed into my 1 hour lunch break?  It seemed impossible at the time, but now that I look back, the hard work was well worth it. I would have never gotten as far as I did had it not been for your Figure Guide. The idea of it was overwhelming, but your workouts and your diet plan made it easy for me. I didn’t have to think, I didn’t have to figure anything out and I didn’t have to spend 2 hours a day at the gym. I just had to follow the plan and stay focused. Follow the plan, take your word for it and trust that my investment would pay off.

Well Terry, IT DID!!!  I followed the Figure Guide workouts religiously and stuck with the diet. I only had 12 weeks to get ready for what seemed like the impossible and all I had was your book. I had 20lbs to lose and was sitting at 27% body fat.  It was hard to imagine that I could shave it all off in just 12 weeks, I was scared and I consistently wondered if I would make it. I had no one to guide me, no teacher, no trainer but I could see myself changing weekly and I enjoyed the challenge of each workout.

On June 19^th, after only 12 weeks of training, I stepped out on stage for my first ever Figure Competition. I was 22lbs lighter and sat around 13 to 14%BF. I took home second place in my height category and realized then that it wasn’t over, I had the bug and I was going to keep going. Since my first show on June 19^th I’ve entered two more NPA shows where I placed 1^st in my height category and recently on October 16^th I took the stage to battle for Pro. I was 25lbs lighter and sat at 10%BF. I placed 5^th in the NPA Pro Classic barely earning my Pro Status and winning my first check!

At first I was pretty bummed out about getting 5^th place. I was going for the gold and felt like I didn’t train hard enough, but after giving it some long thought I realized, “wait”…here I am, a mother of 3, a wife, a full time employee with a 70 mile commute, and I managed to do all of this on my one hour lunch break. In just 9 months I did the unthinkable, I transformed my body, I became a Figure Competitor, I became an NPA Pro Athlete and I changed my life.

I will admit that I no longer follow the Figure Guide like how I use to, but I owe my success to you, it’s where my success started. The book was my stepping stone; it was where it all began and it’s what convinced me to commit to achieving my goals. I still use the concepts weekly tweaking things here and there, but since I’ve come to know and understand my body I realize that I no longer need to follow a guide,  I now know what works for me, I now know myself and what my passion is. Thank you Terry for the “no more guessing” and making it easy for someone like me. I often wonder what would’ve happened if I never stumbled upon your website. I’m so glad I did. Thank you!

Best,

Janelle

That’s the reason I’m a figure coach!

]]> http://figurecompetitor.me/2010/10/26/you-can-be-a-figure-competitor-if-you-believe-in-yourself/feed/ 3 figurecompetitor figure competitors figure pictures http://figurecompetitor.me/2010/07/05/figure-training-dont-burn-out/ http://figurecompetitor.me/2010/07/05/figure-training-dont-burn-out/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:48:16 +0000 Terry Stokes https://figurecompetitor.wordpress.com/?p=395 ]]> Getting ready for a figure competition is a process designed to  increase in intensity the closer you get to show day. Unless you possess great genetics it’s going to be difficult to get lean for a show… so you must be smart and not burn out early by doing too much too soon.

Have you ever known someone (not a figure competitor) to start a diet, and the first day… they’re doing an hour of cardio, eating a super-strict and low calorie diet, going to the gym, taking fat burners – and oh yeah, let’s not forget about the colon cleanse concoction they’re taking. Realistically how long will this last? It’s simply too much for the body and mind to handle at one time. I’ve seen figure competitors take this approach and by contest time (if they make it) they look more like a warmed over corpse than a figure competitor. Ever seen a girl’s hair fall out from over training? …I have!

Look, the truth is YOU WILL OVERTRAIN getting ready for a figure show. This is not a sport for the easily intimidated and there is not reason to sugarcoat it. The key is to delay it as long as possible. If you’ve competed before, how many of the following symptoms of overtraining have you had during contest preparation:

• excessive fatigue
  
• irritability
• sleeping irregularities (high cortisol levels)
• nagging injuries
• amenorrhea (loss of period)
• cravings for sugar
• loss of sex drive
• depression
• anxiety

These are signs of adrenal gland dysfunction caused by overtraining. Many an athlete has experienced this accidently! Figure competitors actually look for some of the signs of overtraining as a sign that they are getting close to competition shape. Competitors always ask me: “When will I lose my period” or “How come I’m still getting my period, should I be working out harder?”

What to do:

When beginning your contest prep, start out conservative on a diet with a decent amount of calories and a workout regimen that is not overwhelming (ex. 1 resistance workout a day and 20 minutes of cardio). As you get closer to your competition, you will increase your cardio to 2 sessions a day while increasing the length of your resistance workouts and cutting your diet slightly. The idea is to increase the intensity of your workouts, while decreasing the calories in your diet. This is a slow and steady process… it’s a fine line between doing it right… and hitting a brick wall. The diet is very important… if your diet is one of those: 1 grapefruit for breakfast, 1 for lunch and a protein drink at 3pm…. or some silly combination like crackers and tuna etc etc…. you are going to have a tough time because a lot of these diets are just bogus and not fit for a guinea pig. Couple one of these silly diets with intense workouts and not only will you become extremely overtrained but you may get sick as well. So make sure your figure competition diet contains good protein sources, complex carbs, fibrous carbs and the proper kinds of fat.

In conclusion:

If it was easy… everybody would be doing it!

If you need to gain size for figure competition you must understand the following concept.

Negative accentuated exercises:

Negative accentuated exercises means going slower during the eccentric (negative) portion of an exercise. The negative portion is also called the lowering phase, examples are:

• lowering a barbell from the top of the curl position to the bottom (arms straight)
• lowering the bar from the top of the bench press exercise down to your chest
• during a pushup – when you lower yourself from the top position to the ground

Look at most people and they totally neglect this portion of the exercise with sloppy technique:

• during bicep curls – they let the bar fall from the top to the bottom instead of controlling it on the way down
• during bench press – they let the bar fall to their chest and sometimes let it bounce off to make the next rep easier

You are actually stronger during this phase of an exercise (the negative/lowering phase) than you are during the actual lifting of the weight.

• In a bicep curl – you can lower more weight than you can curl upward
• in the bench press – you can lower weight than you can push up from your chest
• etc, etc…

If you are stronger during the negative phase this means that there is the potential for more size and strength gains if you focus on that phase of the movement.

this holds true for any exercise – this concept (negative accentuated exercise) is one of the most important in all of weight training, whether you are trying to gain size, strength or increase the number of reps you can perform in a particular exercise.

For now just concentrate on lowering the dumbbell/barbell slower during the negative phase of all exercises. You will find that you won’t be able to perform as many reps but your muscles will be more exhausted after a set. In a later article i will go into more advanced negative accentuated techniques.

Don’t get carried away: start out slow with negatives, they place increase strain on ligaments and tendons, therefore don’t do a bunch of them the next time you workout out, do a few sets per muscle group where you really focus on the negative phase then perform the rest of your sets as you normally would. Eventually all of your sets should be done in the negative accentuated manner. You should notice some soreness the day after if you do them correctly.